We'll Make it, I Swear
by little-angel-mice
Summary: The Kirklands are immigrating to America in 1870, but when things go wrong at Ellis Island, Arthur and his siblings are forced do find a way survive New York City by themselves. During the most vile and corrupted times in America's history Arthur doesn't know if he or his family will make it, but maybe a certain blue eyed American will make sure he makes it out alive.


Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia.

Prologue

Arthur sighed as his body swayed with the boat as it rocked with the ocean. His thorough was dry and scratchy from breathing through his mouth for the past several hours, but he dare not close it and breath through his nose. The smell of a hundred other passengers that hadn't bathed in a week (probably longer) and a chamber pot* that was long over due for an emptying was enough to make anyone gag. He had been in the ship for a little over a month and he couldn't wait to get off, in fact he hadn't even wanted to get on the bloody thing in the first place; but he knew had to, staying in England just wasn't an option. The recent death of his father, Owen, hung over his family like a dark cloud that saddened Arthur to no end. His mother losing her job not a month after his father passed on and the bank coming a few days later to take way their land only added to their sorrow. All of this combined with the constant discrimination that his family had to endure for being catholic made it impossible for them to stay in Great Britain.

Arthur looked over when he felt his youngest brother, Peter, stir slightly in his sleep and rest his small blond head on his shoulder . Arthur re-positioned his arm so that he could wrap it around his brother and pull the boy into his side and gently run his fingers through his hair. He did miss his father but was glad that the sickness that took him hadn't spread to the rest his family, he did not think he would have been able to cope with the death of a sibling along with hi father. His siblings included his oldest brother Alistor, his only sister Melony*, his twin brothers Colin and Shane, and his younger brother Peter.

The sun just starting to rise, painting the sky a pretty soft pink that was slowly turning to yellow. The sight was calming and the fatigue that came with not sleeping at all the night before was slowly dragging him to sleep. Right before he closed his lids, something green and tall caught his eye and he let out a small gasp as he realized what is was.

"Peter," he whispered softly as he gently shook his brother. "C'mon Peter, wake up." Slowly pale blue eyes opened and looked up blearily at him.

"What is it?" Peter asked as he stretched and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

"I've got something to show you, come to the railing." They got up and approached the railing, Arthur smiled as he heard Peter let out a small gasp of his own.

"What is that?" Peter asked softly.

"That, Peter, is the Statue of Liberty," Arthur replied, relief and happiness evident in his voice. They had finally made it, to the place they could make lives for themselves be free.

They had made it to America.

*During this time, working plumbing was rare and only the rich had working toilets; so people used chamber pots, which were just buckets sitting in the corner that people did their business in. They were usually overflowing because no one wanted to empty them. (Gross I know)

*I'm using Fem!Wales because I needed a one of them to be a girl so that I could explore what the clothing sweat shops were like and normally only women worked in those places.

(A/N) Thank you so much for reading my story, and I hoped you enjoyed it. This story is going to have a relationship between Alfred and Arthur, but its also going to focus a lot on the history of the Gilded Age era and all the shit that the immigrants just moving to America during the late 1800's and early 1900's had to deal with. If you have any questions or comments just message me, and I want this story to be as historically accurate as possible so if you notice something that is wrong please tell me. Thank you again and review if you liked it.


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